MPAA Rating: NR/Genre: Film Noir/Stars: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Jean Heather, Tom Powers, Byron Barr, Richard Gaines, Fortunio Bonanova, John Philliber, Raymond Chandler, Bess Flowers, Betty Farrington, Teala Loring, Sam McDaniel, Miriam Nelson, Douglas Spencer, Norma Varden/Runtime: 107 minutes
I think an argument can definitely be made that, for all of the differences that exist between the various genres which make up the fabric of that distinct art form which we call cinema, there is at least one thing which they all have in common. That being that they all manage to possess at least one slice of cinema that can be considered a classic. Not just for that respective genre, but for film overall. Indeed, among other examples, the horror genre has the original Psycho and the original Night of the Living Dead (though the 1990 remake ain’t half bad if I’m being honest), the action genre has Raiders of the Lost Ark, the crime drama has The Godfather 1 & 2 (and maybe 3 depending on the day of the week), the spy genre has the various misadventures of one 007 to their name, the war genre has Saving Private Ryan and Apocalypse Now, the sci-fi genre has Star Wars and Alien (though the theatrical cut of Alien 3 can definitely stay home), and the fantasy genre has The Princess Bride and the Lord of the Rings trilogy to name but a few. With that in mind, it should perhaps come as no surprise by any stretch of the imagination to learn that the genre known as film noir (or as I like to call it more than slightly shady people doing more than slightly shady things) also has more than a few iconic entries of its own to its name including Body Heat, Chinatown, The Maltese Falcon, and L.A. Confidential respectively. Yet among that group there is one slice of cinema that I definitely feel should be worthy of taking a look at and/or revisiting (and not just because it turns an incredible 80 years old this year). That being a slice of cinema from 1944, and film I happen to be reviewing for you today incidentally, known as Double Indemnity. A film that, I must admit, I myself had not heard of until I saw it in a film class in high school that really did help to open my eyes to just how brilliant this film really was at the time of its release and still is to this very day. Yes, it might be 80 years old which I am sure is going to undoubtedly make some people have a bit of a pause when deciding to watch this, but should you find yourself able to make it past the film’s age without much (if any) in the way of reservations I think you will be delighted to find that, with the aid of nothing short of stellar work both behind and in front of the camera, Double Indemnity “44” truly is a masterpiece of cinema to say nothing of a pitch-perfect example of the film noir genre when it is operating at the peak of its respective ability.
The plot is as follows: An adaptation of a novel of the same name by James M. Cain, Double Indemnity gets its thrilling story underway as we witness a rather distinct sight. That being of a more than slightly in pain man stumbling into an office late one night with what appears to be a gunshot wound to his shoulder. We soon learn that the man’s name is Walter Kneff, his occupation is that of an incredibly skilled member of that distinct group known as insurance salesmen, and he is in the office of one Barton Keyes to record a rather startling confession. From there, the film flashes back about a solid year to May of 1938 where we get to witness as a happier (and gunshot free at that) Kneff as he makes his way to a client’s home to make an inquiry into renewing his automobile insurance policy. Yet as routine as this task is for our intrepid “hero”, we see that this time things are going to be a bit different. This is because, rather than meet with the client and get everything squared away before heading back to the office to bask in his triumph, we see that Kneff crosses paths with someone else entirely. That being one Phyllis Dietrichson. A woman who, among other things worth knowing about her, happens to be the client’s wife. A fact I mention because it isn’t long into their first meeting that we see Kneff and Phyllis begin to engage in a flirtation with one another that soon sours a tad when Kneff is able to deduce that she is pondering about how best to bump her husband off and get away with it. Incredibly though, we see that, despite being wise to her plan to say nothing of the fact that he wants absolutely nothing to do with it, Kneff just can’t get enough of her and what started as a mere flirtation soon blossoms into both a full-blown romantic affair between the two. One that also becomes a criminal partnership due to Walter finally deciding to put all of the tricks he has come to learn during his career to the test and see if together the two of them can get away with this truly dastardly criminal act. An act that, as cooked up by Kneff, will see his lover’s husband die a rather unlikely demise in the shape and form of being tossed off a moving locomotive. The reason being, as he figures, is because by doing it this way that should result in the insurance company he works for, as required by law, to have to honor a clause in the previously set-up insurance policy known as the “double indemnity” clause (hence the title of the film) which will see the man’s “distraught and grieving” widow be paid twice what she might get otherwise. Of course, as the old saying goes “sometimes the best laid plans of mice, dumb schmucks, and homicidal wannabe widows don’t always go as expected…” Trust me when I say that this is one of those times….
Now right off, it should be said that the work done by the various units operating behind the camera on this particular cinematic outing are all no more or less than pure excellence at work and then some. With no question, this most assuredly starts with the work done by the legendary Billy Wilder (Sunset Boulevard, Ace in the Hole, Stalag 17, The Apartment, and Some Like It Hot among many others) in the director’s chair and this is another fantastic entry in the man’s already nothing short of brilliant filmography. Indeed there are several things that Wilder does incredibly well here which really help to distinguish his work at the helm here. The first is that, under Wilder’s direction, the film does a masterful job of incorporating such potent thematic concepts as greed, treachery, and moral decay into the fabric of the story being told to the audience. As a result, not only is the film given significantly more substance as a result, but it also helps to elevate it to become something more than just your typical run of the mill “cinematic crime saga”. Along with that, we see that Wilder also does a fantastic job of really providing a vital degree of dimension to the characters at the heart of the story being played out for us on the silver screen as well. As a result, yes we might hiss at the antics that the characters, with particular regard to the ones played by MacMurray and Stanwyck, choose to partake in throughout the runtime, but never once do they and their fellow cast members ever come across as nothing less than riveting and/or plausible rather than the fictional creations of a creative mind. Along with his terrific work at the helm, we also see that Wilder manages to be just as successful when it comes to working alongside iconic detective fiction writer Raymond Chandler on the penning of this slice of cinema’s screenplay. This is because, through combining Chandler’s distinctly caustic dialogue alongside Wilder’s skill in conjuring up a multidimensional and consistently captivating narrative, the film is able to possess a script that is a wonderful blend of both delightfully clever to say nothing of intricately woven with every single scene having a vital role in the story being told respectively. Alongside those two departments, this slice of cinema also manages to contain some truly incredible work from 7-time Oscar nominee John Seitz in the cinematography department. Indeed, through the utilization of such components as sharp-edged shadows, rather distinct camera angles, and an on-point gloom and doom atmosphere, we see that Seitz is able to do a fantastic job here of both contributing to the overall intensity of the story whilst also really reinforcing the dark thematic concepts at play within the film’s narrative as well. Last, but by no means of the imagination least I definitely feel like this section would be more than a tad bit on the underwhelming side if I didn’t devote some time to talk about the work contributed by Miklós Rózsa (The Green Berets, Eye of the Needle, and Time After Time) on this film’s musical score. Indeed not only does the score do a brilliant job of reinforcing the ominous and fairly bleak atmosphere permeating throughout the film, but it also succeeds in strengthening the psychological nuance found in both the cast of characters and the story being told as well. Suffice it to say that when you also incorporate into this top-tier cinematic brew spot-on work from the editing department as headed by three-time Oscar nominee, and frequent Billy Wilder collaborator, Doane Harrison among others it’s clear that in practically every way possible and then some this is most assuredly a more than solidly made little slice of cinema.
Alongside the absolutely stellar work done by the various departments operating behind the camera, this slice of cinema is also blessed with a collection of performances in front of the camera by a phenomenal cast of talent that are all absolutely spot on in their respective roles no matter how much or how little their amount of screentime in this film’s 107-minute runtime turns out to be. Without any doubt in my mind, this starts with screen legend Fred MacMurray (The Absent-Minded Professor, The Apartment, and 1954’s The Caine Mutiny among others) in the lead role and he is terrific here. Indeed in the role of Walter Neff, we see that MacMurray is able to do a wonderful job of abandoning his usual good guy routine to give us a character that at best is a bit more on the morally unscrupulous side of things so to speak and at worst a sleazy adulterer/conspirator in a murder. At the same time though, MacMurray does such a good job at making this guy so charming, assertive, captivating, and even surprisingly tragic to a degree that we can’t help but be drawn to him even as he does the terrible things that he does and makes the horrible choices that he makes throughout the film. Suffice it to say that it’s a top-5 kind of performance from one of the more noteworthy talents of his generation. Incidentally I most assuredly think that top-5 moniker could also be applied to the genuinely electrifying performance given here by four-time Oscar nominee Barbara Stanwyck (Witness to Murder, Executive Suite, and The Maverick Queen among others) in the role of Phyllis Dietrichson. Indeed as Phyllis, we see that Stanwyck does a chillingly great job at giving us someone who is so ruthless and so diabolical that she is willing to do just about anything, including murder her own husband, in order to get what she wants. Unlike her on-screen partner in crime however, we see that Stanwyck also succeeds in making her character feel as little in the way of remorse as possible when it comes to the scheme that she has cooked up to say nothing of the people who are impacted by it. In that regard, it can definitely be said that Stanwyck does more than just give us a phenomenal performance; rather, she also gives us a character that is easily one of the most hiss-worthy female antagonists to ever be on celluloid period as well. Last, but by no means least I definitely feel that this section, and the film overall if I’m being honest, would be woefully lacking if I didn’t devote some time to talk about the truly engaging work done by fellow screen icon Edward G. Robinson (1956’s The Ten Commandments and Soylent Green from 1973 respectively) in the pivotal co-starring role of Barton Keyes. As Keyes, we see that Robinson (more known for his work as tough-guys in gangster flicks) does a terrific job of giving us a character whose skill at his chosen career and unwavering devotion to the truth make him one heck of an adversary for Walter and Phyllis to square off with especially the former for reasons that I shan’t spoil here. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in top-tier efforts from such talents as Jean Heather, Tom Powers, Porter Hall, Byron Barr, and Richard Gaines among others it’s clear that every single performer in this impeccable cast is operating at the absolute pinnacle and then some of their respective abilities and as a result do everything in their collective and individual power to make this slice of cinema a bonafide masterclass in terms of acting in the best way possible.
All in all and at the end of the day I think beyond a reasonable doubt in my mind that I can claim to you dear reader that Double Indemnity “44” might be a slice of cinema that is a wee bit on the older side, but it is still nevertheless a bonafide masterpiece in every sense of the word. Not just for the decade in which it was made, in the respective creative resumes of the people involved in the making of it be they working in front of or behind the camera, or even for the distinct genre of movie magic that it is a part of. Rather, I mean in terms of cinema as both a whole and as the art form that I have always tried to view, and even promote in my own way, it as being. Indeed the work done by Billy Wilder at the helm is absolutely riveting, the script as penned by both Wilder as well as Raymond Chandler is a nothing short of brilliant partnership that I wish we as movie goers had gotten more movies out of than what we ultimately did, the cinematography is absolutely stunning while also really bringing you into the sordid and sleazy world of the film in a way few films in this particular genre have done either before or since, the musical score is incredibly mesmerizing, and the performances (with particular regard to the ones contributed by MacMurray, Stanwyck, and Robinson) are all downright impeccable in every sense of the word. Suffice it to say then dear reader that if you are ever in the mood to hunt down a timeless classic that would go on to inspire such slices of cinema as Body Heat, both takes on The Postman Always Rings Twice from 1946 and 1981 respectively, and The Last Seduction from 1994 respectively then definitely give this film a try. To be sure, there are many other films out there you could watch, but truth be told dear reader sometimes when you’re trying to find something to watch you just can’t beat a classic! Now if you’ll excuse me: I need to get in touch with my own insurance agent. Not that I think they would do anything as insidious as the events depicted in this movie. Far from it. Rather, I would just like to be more safe than sorry because if I get off the phone with even a hint of doubt then I think it’s going to be time to find a new insurance provider….anyone got the number for Farmer’s or Allstate handy? Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give Double Indemnity “44” a solid 5 out of 5.
